Like the Desert Sun
by Kaiame
Summary: A look at the relationship of Wheeler and Linka, during and after the Planeteers. Better summary as I post more chapters.
1. Chapter 1 In my head

Hey guys! So I've been lurking the CP fanficto-sphere for the past week, completely obsessed after my recent re-re-re-discovery of CP (dear God, I love this show). Anywho, I love you guys to pieces; you have so much beautiful work. I promise, I'm trying to get back in and comment everything I've read. It's been a crazy road.

I figured I'd try one of my own, just to see how it goes. Maybe I'll kick back into the writing game

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**Wheeler**

His heart was pounding nearly out of his chest. Where was his cool? Where was his bravado? No mind that, he could wing it. He had to. She already knew he wanted her—had wanted her from the get-go—so there was no reason he should make himself look even more lovestruck than necessary.

Details. That's all his eyes could focus on. The lighting was strange, with everything dim and clear at once, and he could see her standing before him. She tucked a loose blonde hair behind her ear. She ran her hands down her bare thighs, as if to smooth out an invisible apron. She looked at him with those bright green eyes, and her lips parted as she took a big breath in. It took him a moment to realize she was waiting on him, on his approval.

He was kicked back in the oversized recliner, and he ran his hand through his unruly red hair before he said, "Come here." His voice was unfamiliar to him. He didn't care.

He didn't see her move, but suddenly she was sliding against him, her bare frame pressed against him, and he could feel the outline of her body through his t-shirt. Their mouths met in a plunging, headspinning kiss, and his brain couldn't quite get the feel of her skin. It took the information like oil to water, sliding around the depths of his mind, waiting to be processed. He was acutely aware that her hands were running over him, catching in his hair, cascading down his shoulders, clutching his neck to pull him closer.

His own body fought for attention, surging beneath him, demanding more, aching with every breath he took. As if she could hear his body as loudly as he felt it, she leaned back, her lips still pressed to his, and began to unbuckle his belt.

He held back a groan as she got the pants open and slid her body back against his. Her mouth finally left his, trailing down his jaw and down his neck. God, she was perfect. Her tongue hit the right spot, causing another body spasm.

"Linka," he groaned.

Her mouth went back to his, her hand gripping his shoulder with sudden pressure. His body was starting to feel again. He was elated.

She picked her head up, her nose a centimeter away. She looked at him for a moment, deeply, searching.

"Wheeler."

His name from her lips stirred within him a fierce desire as well as a large feeling that _he'd won_.

"Wheeler," she said again, with more urgency. He tried to pull her back in, but she shook her head. Then, she shook his shoulder.

"Wheeler!"

The shock of opening his eyes nearly undid him. At first, it was as if someone had turned a light on in the room, because there were still Linka's eyes searching his own. But now her face was illuminated with a yellow glow….and her hair was up. And her Planeteer garb was stoically covering her perfect body.

"We have landed. Get out and get your things. You can go back to sleep when you get to your room." Behind her he could see Gi and Ma-Ti walking to the exit of the Geo-Cruiser. God. It was a dream.

He ran his hand through his hair and stealthily moved his jacket to cover his lap.

Linka was still leaning over him. "I am going to eat before I go to bed. Do you want me to cook something for you as well?"

Wheeler thought about trying to speak, but the words were jammed in his throat. He nodded instead.

"But of course you do. You are always hungry, Yankee."

He nodded again.

A frown settled on her perfect brow. "Are you alright? It is not like you to be so quiet."

"Just not awake, Babe," he managed out hoarsely.

"Well hurry. I want you to 'get some while it's hot,' as the phrase goes."

Wheeler winced. "It, Babe. 'Get it while it's hot.' 'Get some' means something different."

Linka shrugged before rising fully and maneuvering past him to get off the cruiser. Wheeler put his head in his hands, repeating the Pledge of Allegiance to the United States over and over until he could finally stand again.

Living with her was so hard. Too bad he wouldn't change it for the world.


	2. Chapter 2: Drowning in the Sky

Thank you to my awesome reviewers! You guys are awesome! That gave me the motivation I needed to throw this chapter down. Whoooo!

Disclaimer (because I forgot it last time…oh boy) No owning here. No profit. No nada, now and forever

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**Linka**

Linka slid the sandwiches in the oven as Wheeler walked in. He looked…ill. Strung out. He didn't seem to be moving well in his own skin.

"I made you two sandwiches. There is extra cheese on them."

"That's my girl!" Wheeler said, doing a little fist pump as he sat down on a bar stool at the counter, grinning.

She pushed the 'my girl' in that sentence to the back of her head with incredible ease. She knew better than to take Wheeler's compliments to heart. He was, as Gi said, a flirt.

"You have to make a promise to me though, for the cheese," she said, walking over to him. They were practically at eye level. She batted her eyelashes, indulging his flirtations.

His smile flared up again as she leaned on the bar. "Oh yeah? Sure, Babe, name it."

_You could ask for anything right now. You could even ask for a k—_She ignored the voice in her head. "You have to eat all the vegetables on the sandwich."

Wheeler scrunched up his nose. "C'mon, Babe, all of them?"

Linka sighed dramatically and shrugged her shoulders. "I am guessing you do not want your sandwich then," she said, turning away.

His arm shot out before she could move to far, and he pulled her into him. "No, no, I want the sandwiches. I'll eat the veggies. I promise."

She turned to him again, her nose a couple inches from his. His blue eyes locked on hers. "All of them?"

"All of them," he reassured her. The voice was back, trying desperately to scream over the wall she'd put up against it. 'I'll even give you one better."

"What is that?"

"I'll even like it."

Linka couldn't help it. She threw her head back in a laugh. "That is a big promise, Yankee, for you."

"Nah, Babe, I like anything you give me. Sandwiches, lectures, kisses…"

"Oh, very good try," she said, rolling her eyes. But he didn't seem discouraged, much to her surprise.

"That's the thing, I'm not trying," he said, a small smile on his face.

"As if it would matter," she tried to retort, but there was something going on with her body. She couldn't move. Those blue eyes were like beacons, keeping her attention locked on him. He seemed closer. She thought she could feel his breath.

"Do you want me to try?" he asked, but very softly. She was trying to answer, but she didn't know what her answer would be, exactly. There was a strange buzzing in her head, clouding her thoughts. Was she breathing? She tried to force herself to run a system check, but she was drowning in blue, blue, blue like the cloudless sky, with dark flecks of birds and light streaks of sun. She was falling up, falling closer, moving nearer.

"Do you?" he asked again. She could feel his hand on her arm, warm against her skin. She could smell him, a mix of something like campfires and cinnamon. She could almost taste him on the air, something hot and barely contained. Her entire body felt like it was racing, struggling to find an answer. A thousand words jammed into her mouth at once and promptly died. Her head was spinning.

They were seconds apart. Breaths away. There was no up, no out…

"Linka! There you are!"

Linka bit back a shriek and nearly jumped out of her skin, spinning around. Gi was standing in the doorway.

"You disappeared. I was trying to find you to give you your mail," Gi said. She looked confused.

"M-m-making sandwiches," Linka sputtered out.

"Sandwiches," Gi repeated, looking doubtful.

"Da," Linka said, nodding her head fiercely. The timer on the oven buzzed. She blessed it for its cooperation and rushed over to it, donning an oven mitt and pulling out the food..

"Ok, then. I'll leave them on your bed. Goodnight. Wheeler, why are you laughing?"

Linka turned to look at him. Sure enough, his head was flat on the counter, and laughter was shaking his shoulders.

"Oh, my day! Oh, it just gets better and better!" He dissolved into giggles.

"He must be tired. Goodnight, too, Gi."

Linka left Wheeler's sandwiches on a plate in front of him and ate hers quickly standing by the stove. She cleaned up her mess while he ate quietly, still chuckling.

"Ok, I am going to bed now. Goodnight, Wheeler."

"What, no goodnight kiss?" Somehow, he was suddenly behind her, his chest just touching her back. Her body stiffened. A mix of guilt and something like longing hit her like a wall. So she did what she always did. She hit back.

"Really, Yankee? I have better things to do than worry about kisses from a Capitalist Dog. Like going to bed."

He gave a sigh and seemed to deflate a little. "Alright, then. Goodnight."

Without thinking, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him to her, striking a kiss on his cheek on the process. "Goodnight, Wheeler."

And with a hand pressed to her mouth, she fled to her cabin.


	3. Chapter 3: Uneven Bars and Bets

Just got off work and a little bit drunky. Screw it. CP fic for the win!

By the way, 63 hits and you guys are AMAZING at commenting….NOT

(Non-drunky note: **Gedwola** and **Fostersb**, you kids don't count. Thank you both for being sweet!)

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**Wheeler**

Well, at least he could thank Linka for her help in saving the environment. Only cold showers for him; cold as could be with island weather, but nonetheless, he hadn't touched the hot water nozzle.

It wasn't fair, he thought, as climbed icy-skinned into bed. She was always so cool, breezily so—haha, what a joke! But she really did seem to have the power to blaze him up or ice him out. And what could he do with her? Nothing. Always nothing.

Did he care?

He thought about this for a brief moment before he decided it didn't matter. He'd give up his world just to see the smile on her lips, the same lips that had pressed against him before she'd hurried off to bed.

Lucky her. She'd probably crash, dreaming about God-knows-what, out instantly, not a care in the world to what he thought or felt.

Unlucky for him, he'd be up for another few hours, daydreaming about those sweet lips against his cheek before he finally found rest

Wheeler woke groggily in the morning, mad that his alarm clock was screeching in his ear. Surely another five minutes of rest wouldn't kill him….

A half an hour later, he finally pulled himself out of bed and out of a semi-lucid Linka dream. He deposited himself into another frigid shower. Frosty after the fact, he threw on his normal clothes and headed to the kitchen to soothe his beast of a stomach.

"Good morning, Wheeler," Linka said, stirring a mess of scrambled eggs. She kissed his cheek as if she had not a care in the world. Goodness, but she was having a good morning.

"Morning, Babe, what's for breakfast?"

"Eggs, fried bacon, and some toast. No vegetables involved, Yankee."

"Not that I mind 'em, if they're from you," he replied swiftly, taking advantage of the situation and stealing a piece of bacon as well as a kiss on _her_ cheek . She rolled her eyes.

"Yankee, really? You'd eat food from anyone."

"Ahh, but it wouldn't taste as good," he grinned as he sat down at the counter and she set a plate in front of him.

"Did the bed bugs bite last night?" she asked casually, adding more eggs to her skillet.

"Nah," he said, full mouthed and happily lying. "I slept like a log."

"Good. When you are finished with your breakfast, we are going to do some exercises, before it is too hot. Then we are going to fix the holes in the Geo-Cruiser from the last mission. Kwame says that we should all go for a run today, so do not take too long. I will be by the uneven bars, if you want to try some real exercise."

_I'll give you some exercise_, was what he wanted to say. Instead, "Flips and twists, babe? Not my style."

"Because you could not do it." He felt his heart pound a little harder as she gave him a wicked grin, dumping eggs onto his plate.

"Of course I could do it," he said, shoveling eggs in his mouth.

"Then place a bet on it. Put your mouth where your money is." She began scrubbing the dishes in the sink, and he had to keep from choking on his food.

"Money where your mouth is," he corrected. "What's the bet?"

"If I am right, and you cannot do it, then you will have to do anything I say for a day," she paused as she tiptoed up to put the dishes. "And if you win, then I will have to do so for you."

Wheeler's mouth went dry. He was pretty sure his heart had stopped. His eyes burned; oh, of course, he wasn't blinking. "When you say anything, do you mean anything?"

"Da, that is what I said."

_God yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Deal, oh what a deal! Of course, I agree. Yes. Let's go._ He took a ragged breath and tried to say cooly, "Okay. Deal."

Linka's brow furrowed, and she bit her lip. "I figured you agreed when you said 'God, yes. Yes. Yes. Yes….Let's go…"

She couldn't keep doing this to him. His breath froze in his lungs. She was going to kill him with words alone. "You heard that?"

"Of course I heard it. Bozhe moy, Yankee, you said it out loud." She let out a giggle. "I thought you were awake, sleeping head."

Wheeler forced a laugh, hoping he could cover the scarlet he could feel burning his cheeks. "Haha, just messin' with you, Babe. C'mon. Let's go so I can show you how it's done."

&CP&

"You will not underestimate me again, will you, Wheeler?" Linka was grinning wildly, spinning around the uneven bars as if she did it every moment of her life.

Wheeler was lying on the ground underneath the bars, sprawled out on his back and gasping. It wasn't that he'd didn't have the strength to get him up there, he just didn't have the same muscles she did, or the coordination. One sad attempt at a flip, one very misguided jump, and one ten minute attempt to swing his legs up and over his head later, there he was, panting and sweating. "No ma'am."

Linka giggled as she flew over him from the larger bar to the smaller. "I will be happy to accept this win." She spun, at first moving in a blur, then slowing down, every move laced with grace, her long legs stretched appetizingly. A hot feeling twisted in Wheeler's lower stomach, and he cursed his own body even as he kept staring.

She launched over him again, her long hair just brushing his face.

She was in a handstand when Ma-ti's voice came ringing in his head. It took him a moment to snap out of the focus on Linka's stomach, which was showing happily now that the hem of her shirt had slid down to bunch up at thebottom of her breasts.

"_Kwame said he is ready for his run. Come on, Linka and Wheeler."_

"Da," Linka responded aloud, swinging out of her handstand and dismounting in a series of flips.

"Show off," Wheeler said, still lying on the ground. She walked over, dusting the remaining chalk off of her hands, and offered to help him up. He rose unwillingly. "What, no sympathy kiss for the loser?"

Linka's face was unreadable. Her right hand still in his, she reached with her left hand and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, pulling him down to her. Her face was close. He could count every eyelash if he had the time, and he'd do it gladly. Her breathing was a little hard from her workout, and her lips were parted. His heart, which had calmed down while he'd been lying on the ground, exploded with sudden excitement.

She was coming closer. She looked like she meant business. He leaned down a little more, craving but trying not to rush his luck. She was even closer now. He closed his eyes. He could feel her there, millimeters from him. He could hear the deep, plunging breath she took right before…

"Not today, Yankee," she said, suddenly pushing him back. She let out a laugh. "Come on, we do not want to keep them waiting."

Wheeler felt the wind get knocked out of him, physically as well as a little metaphorically.

"_You make it hard for me to think of her as a sister, when you think thoughts like that_," Ma-ti's voice rang in his head.

"_Shut it_," he muttered back, starting to walk with Linka.

It took him a whole minute to overcome his embarrassment and realize, to his utter delight, that her fingers were interlaced with his. She'd never let go of his hand

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Ok my loves, I promise, the next chapter will be full of deliciousness, and from Linka's perspective at that.

And when I finished this. I wasn't a drunky, just a note. I just started the chapter as a drunky and then passed out. I just refuse to undo work. :D


	4. Chapter 4: Down

This chapter goes out to Becks7, who supports me being a drunky at work in the name of Captain Planet.

(I'm not even sure how that makes sense, but it does. And in a non fanfic related manner, thanks to my Lyssi, who supports me being a drunky AND who lets me hate on her bf for being a vagina. I said it. He is one. So there.)

((Another note: I'm glad at least my drunky notes are properly formatted and spelled. I promise I'm going to start the next chapter not somewhat intoxicated. I'm really not an alcoholic. It just comes with the job on the weekends.))

**Linka**

Linka was filing her nails in the common room, trying her best not to laugh. Wheeler stood in front of her, one hand on his hip, the other clutching a damp dish towel. The ties of the flowery pink apron hung ragged around his waist, and he had a feigned look of exasperation across his face.

"Anything else?"

Linka bit her lip. She couldn't think of anything else for him to do. He'd taken out the trash, done her laundry, cleaned the kitchen, and made her lunch as well as dinner. "Nyet, not for the moment."

He plopped down wearily next to her on the couch. "Finally! You know, I'm going to have to ask you for a rematch."

"For what? Me to kick your butt again?"

She watched as he grinned lazily, and she kept a firm block on the voice that pestered her thoughts. No, no, no, she didn't like his smile at all. She wasn't focusing on the curve of his lip. She was too busy looking, no, not at his eyes, she'd already been down that road. Her hands itched to touch his hair, so she moved her eyes downwards. Hadn't she had a talk with Gi before bed the night before, insisting that she didn't have any feelings for Wheeler? Because she didn't. So she'd just look at that silly apron…the apron that really wasn't doing much to emasculate him at all. Instead, the straps caught her attention and led her to his arms, well defined and strong. Good arms, they'd probably be amazing around her—

"Babe?"

His voice snapped her attention back to his face. He had an eyebrow raised and a small smile dancing around those lips that she wasn't looking at. "What?"

"Did you hear anything I just said? Come back to Earth, cosmonaut."

"I was distracted."

Wheeler grinned. "By my stunning good looks?"

"Nyet," she answered too quickly. "By your pretty pink apron."

She knew he didn't buy it by the way he kept smiling. "Sure thing. What I was saying while you were out there in outer space was that the rematch should be something we've both got experience in. We could fight."

Linka snorted unattractively. "Yankee, I could kick your butt any day. I could blow you away."

"Oh, by all means, blow away," he said, snickering, but she didn't get the joke. "No, I mean, no rings, just hand to hand stuff. No punching. No kicking. Whoever gets the other one down first and keeps them down is the winner."

"You could throw me. This is not fair."

"Ok, fine. You can punch and kick and do whatever you please. I'm not going to hit you. But I'll win."

"There is no way!" she said, not sure if she meant that she'd do it or if he'd win.

"Are you scared I'm going to beat you?" He was leaning close.

"Nyet! If you are anything like you were today, I will win before you even get started."

"Good, stand up. Let's go."

Alarm flooded through her. What was she thinking? "Now?"

"Unless you're scared…" he offered, standing slowly and stretching. Her pride- her deep sewn Soviet mindset to be the best at everything-flared up.

"Ok. Now."

Linka lunged for him, grabbing his shoulders and swinging her hip around, pulling. He twisted and staggered, trying to wrap an arm around her waist, but she was already in motion, sliding behind to his back and wrapping an arm around his neck. However, their height difference pulled her feet off the floor, and he dropped to his knees, turning just enough to grab her. Linka tucked her knees to her chest as he slid her on her back, and as he attempted to pin her shoulders, she kicked out, catching him in the chest with her shins and rolled up and over with him. She had him down for a second, feeling triumphant, before he bucked and threw her off. She somersaulted backwards out of his reach, or so she thought, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her in. She tried to kick out again, and she threw herself at him again in an attempt to down him using brute force, but he continued the roll and landed on top of her. Half a second later her wrists were pinned above her head by one of his hands. She moved her hips experimentally to check her range of motion. She was stuck.

They were both breathing hard, and it took her a moment to leave competition mode and realize just in what position they were in. Wheeler's body covered hers like a blanket, warm and firm, and she suddenly felt every part where their bodies met with surprising clarity.

"Looks like I win, Babe," he said, panting. She could feel his stomach pressing against her as their breaths hit in uneven rhythms.

"Da, it does."

He grinned and opened his mouth as if to say something, but stopped. She stared up at him for a long moment, her body tingling, their bellies bumping against each other. It felt intimate and raw, as if they'd done more that wrestle around. She felt very exposed and hot, but her skin craved the contact even as it received it. His blue eyes were locked on hers.

"Wheeler?"

"Hmm?" She could feel the noise vibrate through him and into her. A smattering of goose bumps dusted her arms.

"You are still on top of me."

"Hmm?" He seemed confused for a second, as if it was a taking him a moment to process the words. "Oh. Want me to get off?"

Da was the obvious answer, but her throat locked up on her. She was a little indignant with herself at the fact that her body was betraying her for _feelings_.

"Linka?"

"Huh?" Her heart was suddenly racing, her nerves screaming. His eyes were studying her face with an attention she'd never thought he could possess. She watched as he skimmed across her eyes and down her nose, his own lips parting when he saw hers.

"Do you want me to get off of you?"

She was unwilling to admit her answer to herself. Instead, her body froze, paralyzed by the moment. She could feel the blood rushing in her veins and feel his breath against her cheek. She swallowed roughly. She tried to work her mouth but it seemed her voice had left her. She didn't have words in English or Russian.

"Linka?"

"Huh?"

He leaned down. Her heart was going to beat its way out of her; she could feel it crawling into her throat. But she wanted…

"All you have to do is say stop."

With that, everything contradicted itself. In no time at all, but over an eternity, moving and not moving, his lips touched hers softly, tentatively. He paused for a moment, as if to give her a chance to object, and then leaned down further, pressing his mouth to hers gently.

For a moment in that weird contradiction, her heart didn't beat. Her mouth didn't respond. And then, as if something was switched on, she took a ragged breath, her heart exploded in her throat, and her head surged upwards to meet him firmly in his kiss.

Wheeler made a noise of approval somehow and reacted quickly. He deepened the kiss but remained tentative, patient. She reciprocated with vigor, body singing loudly. His free hand traced a light pattern on her ribs and down her stomach. She ripped her wrists free and sunk her hands into his hair, pulling him closer. He seemed to be teetering on the verge of control as she slid one of her hands down his neck, her fingers gripping wildly at his shirt collar.

They burst apart at the sound of the kitchen door slamming and were sitting at what Linka hoped could pass as calmly when Ma-ti and Kwame walked in. Linka had her hands over her mouth and was trying desperately to catch her breath. She refused to look at Wheeler.

"Good evening, Linka," Kwame said politely.

"I am going to bed. Goodnight!" She said, jumping up at his voice and running out of the cabin without another word.

She thought that Wheeler might have called her name as she ran, but she ignored it, plowing into the early night to run from what had just occurred.

Ok, kids. I'm done with this one. It was a little steamy, no? And now that I've got all this introductory angst going on, I can start slipping in my major plot! Hahahahahaha!


	5. Chapter 5: Just Only

So, I was a sober scout for the last two days. I went to a waterpark and had a blast. Unfortunately, I'm sunburnt and ridiculously sore. And I know I promised not being a drunky at the start of the next chapter, but I'm going to run to work for a couple of cocktails to get the ball rolling. Love you kids!

And before I forget, this goes out to **Becks7**, who enjoys cocktails with me (in a roundabout sort of way; drink and write, drink and read, same thing), **Gedwola** for making me laugh when I read your reviews, and especially to **OzQueene**, who's being ridiculously supportive, friendly, and an all around amazing person. To the rest of my reviewers, thank you for being so awesome!

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**Wheeler**

Wheeler felt like he was on fire all the way to his fingertips. He was gloriously ablaze with the feel of Linka. He could still feel her hands in his hair as she pulled him closer, and a series of chills rolled over his body where they'd been pressed together. He could taste her on his mouth, and regretted the instant he had to brush his teeth. He felt gloriously alive, supercharged. He could run a hundred miles on the memory alone. A thousand.

He'd sat with Kwame and Ma-ti for a good twenty minutes, trying his best to behave and act normal. They'd seemed to have bought it, ignoring Linka's rather rushed exit.

At the moment he was walking around Hope Island, trying his best dispel his energy. He was dying to walk to Linka's cabin, to talk to her. He was worried about her with the way she'd left, and he wanted to check on her. Since he was being honest with himself, he admitted that more kisses wouldn't be bad. He was born for this feeling. He was addicted to the rush.

Wheeler did his best not to run to her room. It was more of a jaunty stroll then a jog, and he chalked one up on his scoreboard for keeping a semblance of cool, even if it was a tiny one. He slowed when he got to her porch, noting that her lights were out. Was she asleep already? Should he wake her? That seemed like a bit much, but he didn't want to leave things in a state of chaos. Then too, he didn't want to seem pushy and overreacting. Gah, he was worrying like a girl. What was he thinking? What was she doing to him? Oh, the choices!

"Wheeler?"

The sound of her voice calling to him from behind startled him out of his thoughts but wrapped around his form like a caress. His lips sparked into a spry song as he turned to look at her, and he took a breath to keep himself in check.

Linka had her head cocked and her ponytail in her hand, twisting her finger around the end in random circles. It was too dark to tell exactly her expression, but she seemed to be coming out of deep thought.

"Hey, Babe. Funny meeting you here," he joked.

"If you are saying so; I live here." She walked onto the porch, and he could smell her suddenly, like cool air right before a rainstorm and a twist of mint. His mouth watered, and he swallowed and took another breath.

"It was a joke, Babe. What're you doing up?"

"I was talking to Gaia. We were discussing—we are going on a mission tomorrow, to New York. She is going to tell us all in the morning." She bit her lip and twisted her hair faster around her finger, not quite meeting his eyes.

"All right, New York! My home town. I'll have to show you all the sites." He gave a wink and a grin and leaned in close, falling into his old habit with ease.

Linka stiffened. "I do not think we—I do not know if—" She looked up at him suddenly, eyes wide. "They are only kisses, right?"

Wheeler froze for an instant, not sure what he should say. A sudden feeling struck him that his answer was more important than he realized, but before he could stick a filter between his mind and his mouth, he heard himself saying, "Well, sure Babe, it's only a kiss."

Dear God, what did he do? What if she was looking for more than kisses? What if she wanted…a _thing_? Did he want a thing with her? He hadn't started that way, not in the emotional sense at least. Did he want one now? No, no, of course not. But he had too much respect for her to play her like he did. What if that upset her? What if she thought that's what he was trying to do?

Linka gave a grateful sigh, as if she'd been holding her breath to wait for his answer. "Da, of course they are. They are only just kisses." She gave him a sweet smile, looking relieved.

His reaction to her reprieve weirded him out a little. He was suddenly angry that she seemed to relax by the fact that they were just kisses. Wheeler had worked hard for those kisses! He'd slaved and prayed and flirted his way for every kiss he'd ever received from her for what felt like a century. He was about to contradict her, to tell her not to just be so frivolous with the whole fact when she pressed her mouth to his.

All inner dialogue ceased as they made contact, the sweet, soft feeling of her lips dancing across his. He leaned down to participate more actively when she suddenly pulled away.

"Da. Only just kisses." Linka looked up at him, her hair back in her hand. "I do not think it would be a very good idea if we told the others about our kisses, though. I do not want to make anyone…uncomfortable." She winced as she said this, looking around as if to see if anyone was watching them.

Again, he was shocked at his response to her statement. He felt a flash of anger boil through him quickly. What, she was embarrassed to admit that she'd finally given up some of her front and kissed him more than once? He wasn't up to what she felt her standards were when it came to what her _other_ friends?

Wheeler felt her hand rest on his arm, and the blaze of anger cooled. Her face came into focus, and he gave a little sigh. At least he was _getting_ kisses. What more did he really need? Besides, New York was on the horizon. Anything could be found in New York, if you knew where to look.

She was so close now. There was enough moonlight that he could see her pretty features perfectly clear. She looked like she was waiting for him to say something. It took him a second to realize she'd sorta asked a question.

"You got it," he said with a cocky shrug. He was distracted her hand spinning her hair. What was that about? She still seemed to be thinking pretty hard. He wished he could read the words that were flashing behind the shock of green that was her eyes, but he was clueless there. He was overcome by the need to do…_something._ He wanted to break the silence, break the phantom emotions that were floating through the air. Well, what was a good way of doing that?

"Babe," he said, and before she could say another word, he pulled her hand away from her hair and pulled her to him, kissing her. She hesitated for only a second before gloriously melting into him. He turned them, so that her back was against the wall, and as she settled in she made a soft little noise that would haunt him for nights to come.

Out of spite, and he didn't know why, he gave it a few minutes until he could feel in her body that she was invested in the kiss. Without preamble, he wrenched away and whispered in her ear, "We've got a busy day tomorrow. 'Night." And then he turned to walk away.

"Wheeler!" Linka called out sharply. He turned around slowly, hiding a grin, patting himself on the back that he'd left her wanting more.

"Yes, Linka?"

She walked over to him with impeccable grace and kissed him fiercely, extinguishing his self-victory speech. Her lips flirted over his across to his jaw, down to his neck. He felt a wave of heat flood him, and his stomach twisted with need and delight. Ever so deftly, her mouth traveled up to his ear, and shivers cascaded on him like snow.

"Goodnight," she breathed into his ear.

He tried to grab her arm but she was off and into her cabin, shutting the door before he could complete the motion. So much for his plan; oh well, at least it was dark, and he didn't have to embarrass himself knowing she was watching him walk home with an awkward gait.

Tricky girl. He pressed his lips together and smiled into the night. He liked it.

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If you're angry, I'm sorry. He had to be a dickbag. It had to happen.


	6. Chapter 6: From Thoughts to Not

Oh My Goodness God, guys. I'm so sorry. How many of you hate me? How many of you coerced your mothers into hating me as well? Life has been crazy. My 'd' key is being reluctant, I had a crazy psycho stalker thing for a while there (dunno who he was, neighbor's friend punched him, cops were called, he got away…. Whatever), my hair is partially blue and I'm not sure why, and work has been out of control butt-kicking. Literally. But I love you love you love you, and I'm so so so so sorry again!

**Becks7**—I'm sorry I'm not a drunky for this one. However, we'll have to plan another FF party night…I think it works out well for the both of us.

**Gedwola**—You had me laughing so hard with this review. I kept chuckling quietly about it at work, and much to my dismay, no one really got it. Sigh

**OzQueene**—Don't divorce me, I'm sorry!

To the rest of my reviewers, thank you so much!

Here we go!

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**Linka**

A week and a half in New York, and Linka was strung tighter than a kite string.

She was a torn and ragged mess on the inside. On the outside, she was as personable as ever, if not a little cool in her demeanor. She flicked back and forth repeatedly through two conflicting thoughts, the stereotypical shoulder-perched angel and demon fighting a war somewhere behind her eyes.

On the one hand, she'd had that conversation with Gaia a few nights before, the one she knew better than to speak a word of. It seemed that Gaia had finally, if not reluctantly, gathered full hold of Wheeler's…..fascination, as she put it, with Linka. Gaia had expressed her worry that two scenarios could occur—either Linka finally put Wheeler in his place, and he wandered around dejectedly until he left the team, or Linka had feelings for him and allowed a relationship to develop, which would, as most young relationships do, end in a blaze of anger and hatred, hence splitting up the team.

"_Nyet_," Linka had protested, trying hard not to answer too quickly. "_Wheeler is a flirt. No one takes him seriously. He says those things because that is how our friendship is, not because he has feelings for me."_

"_And do you have feelings for him?"_

_ "As friends. We are friends. There is nothing to worry about."_

Gaia had seemed wary. "_You're sure, Linka? Think of the implications if it's more than it seems. Think of Gi, and Ma-ti, and Kwame…"_

"_It is nothing_," she responded hurriedly, wanting this to be over. "_Anything you think we have is nothing."_

Gaia accepted this. She relaxed. "_Good, now let's talk about New York…_"

And after all of that, Linka just _had_ to go make out with him on her front porch. Smart move, airhead.

Between scouting out where Plunder and Blight had set up operations and touring around New York with Wheeler's oh so precious bleach-blonde little girlfriend, Trish (A/N: See footer), Linka was exhausted. The tennis match in her head dividing between keeping her distance (and probably her clothes, she was scared to admit) from anything involving Wheeler and ignoring the entire emotional aspect of whatever they had and living for the moment.

Because they were just kisses. Because they were just friends.

Because blowing Trish into a gutter didn't sound like a bad plan.

Because Wheeler didn't mean anything.

Well, then, neither should Trish.

The internal, infernal battle went on and on.

After trying to chase Gi away for what seemed like hours after another scouting mission, protesting furiously that it was _just_ a headache, she'd be fine, Linka finally found solace on the rooftop of Wheeler's mom's rundown apartment. They'd been given free reign of the place as Wheeler's dad was in the hospital, and his mom stayed most of the time with him. Wheeler had been sleeping in his old room instead of the Geo-Cruiser or the out of town hotel, and Linka felt like she'd seen very little of him.

Not that this mattered.

Or did it?

She was stuck in the cerebral racket when he sat down next to her. It took her a few minutes to even process that someone was outside, and when she realized it as a 'what' and not a 'who,' she spun around swinging.

Wheeler caught her fists with ease. "Whoa, Babe, didn't know you missed me so much."

Linka ripped her hands out of his and buried her head. "Bozhe moy, Yankee, it is you."

"Yeah….it's me. Hey, listen, I just got done talking to Gi. You mad at her about something?"

"Nyet."

"You mad at me for something?"

Linka snorted and scoffed, "How big-brained of you."

"Big headed," he corrected without notice. "Well?"

Linka rolled her eyes and didn't allow herself to pause and really consider her answer. "Nyet, I'm not mad at you or anyone." Except Trish. Or not. Or so.

"Good. I thought maybe because I'd been hanging out with Trish a lot…"

"Da, and? We are friends, that is it. It should not matter who you hang out with." The statement, at least was a true one. It shouldn't matter, but—

"Great! Then would you like to come back inside and watch a movie with me? As friends?"

Linka looked up at him. He looked sincere and sweet, and a little bit worried. He was gorgeous. This wasn't fair. He grabbed her hand and helped her up, evidently taking her silence as an agreement and plowing forward.

"She's not the same girl, or maybe I'm not the same guy. It's tiring being around her all the time. She wants to live in the past, where as I'm more than happy to be away for it. I'm happy with you, and Kwame and Gi and Ma-Ti. Trish just doesn't do it for me anymore. It sucks, ya know?"

Linka nodded, her mind racing. He and Trish….He and Trish weren't….

Wheeler made a big deal about setting the oversize chair up comfortably before popping in a movie and pulling her halfway on his lap, "just as friends." The previews of the movie were an intense mix of tension. She could feel very distinctly the way they touched, how he breathed, and there was something she could sense spinning around her head that she couldn't really name, but it was draining her focus on the television screen drastically. She felt hyperaware and edgy, and she couldn't gather why. Movie watching was nothing new to them. What was this?

"Would you cheer up?" he grumbled playfully in her ear, tickling her ribs. She jerked uncontrollably and let out a shriek.

"Wheeler, stop! You know—Stop!" She dissolved into a fit of giggles and continued to flop about, half unwillingly, half trying to slide away from him. Somehow, she was laying on his legs, but somehow above his head. "Wheeler," she admonished in his ear, their cheeks pressed together as she tried to get him back.

Then something shifted and slid, and suddenly they were kissing and she wasn't sure how, and his hands gripped tight on her back as her fingers plowed through her hair, an she could feel something coming—a moment—one that presented a crossroad that would change everything. Then it hit. A moment, a pause, a cessation of time itself. She had to chose, dive or ditch, sink or swim. She wasn't even consciously aware of what she was deciding on until she'd stood up, offering her hand and pulling him to standing position as well.

He opened his mouth, as if to question, but she stopped him with a look.

Oh well, here went her decision.

Linka spun on her heel and walked around the chair to the hallway, pausing only for a brief second to give him one last look. He stumbled after her as she rounded the corner, and she could hear his rushed footsteps over her sure stride. Six steps to his bedroom, and she hooked her thumbs under the hem of her shirt and pulled it up and off, throwing it back at him without a glance. She glided into the dim room, the only light spilling in from the dying sun. She slid onto his bed, propping herself up on her elbows and leaving her feet on the ground.

Wheeler stood in the doorway and stared, mouth slightly open, a smile lost somewhere on his face.

Linka took a breath and raised an eyebrow, cocking her head slightly to the side. Wheeler somehow managed to strip his shirt as he launched himself to her, on her. A rock met a hard place and collided and Linka, diving and swimming, pulled the rock as close as possible.

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(A/N: Trish-The name of a girl I undeviatingly cannot stand and if she fell off the face of the planet I'd throw a party and you'd all be invited)

I'm sorry it's short guys. The next one will be longer, I swear!


	7. Chapter 7: Understand This

**I can only imagine how much trouble I'm in. **

**Reviewers, oh my loves, I love you dearly. I'm back in the saddle, as well. So let's get ready to rumble.**

**One more chapter after this, I do believe. And no, I'm not laughing evilly at all…..no way…..**

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**Wheeler**

Wheeler stared into his popcorned ceiling, trying his best to divine some sort of sign from the heavens or the contractors who built the apartment or whomever. While his body lay in a puddle in his bed, his senses were on overload. His skin felt the coolness of his sheets, his mouth tasted of Linka's, his ears echoed with all of the little sounds she'd made, and he could smell her on the pillow under his head.

He allowed himself to flashback to a few hours before again, a happy smile playing across his lips. In his memory, he skipped his anxiousness, jumped over the way he'd dawdled and shook. She'd scared him; he had wanted nothing more than to do it, and when the time came, none of his fantasies had prepared him for the bout of nerves that demanded he not disappoint her. In his dreams, he'd always been confident, they'd always just melted together and it all worked out. In the real world, they'd more crashed than melted, and an overdose of hormones and an insane lust wasn't enough to make him even as suave as he'd been the first time he'd had a girl.

As nerve-wracking as it had started out, the entire experience had been unimaginably amazing. Bursts of images shot somewhere behind his eyes, of fluttering lashes and bit lips, of miles of skin stretched across the perfect frame.

All of these perfect memories made him feel sick.

They'd been sitting in the living room, replaying the movie they'd tried to watch in the first place, surrounded by their fellow Planeteers. Linka was tucked up between Gi and Kwame, her eyes never leaving the screen. Wheeler, too, tried his best to over-pretend like nothing had happened, but he couldn't help the silly grin that kept erupting on his face. The movie finished without much said, and Kwame had announced that they'd better leave; they had work in the morning, and needed to get back to the hotel to sleep. Gi woke up Ma-Ti, who'd crashed on the recliner rather quickly, and they all began heading out.

"Linka, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"I will be right there," Linka said, hanging behind. Wheeler caught the bewildered look Gi tried to give her, but everyone shuffled through the door.

"Babe, you know you can stay here tonight," he tried when the door shut. Linka stared at the floor and shook her head. "Well, then, I could come back to you guys. It's not like my mom doesn't spend half of her nights at the hospital anyway. No one would think it was strange."

Linka shook her head again.

"Are you ok?"

She nodded.

"I mean," he rambled, "I know that this whole…" he motioned vaguely to her midsection "Is a little new. I'm not asking for anything, you know. Just, like, hang out. Talk about it…stuff..things."

Still not looking at him, she shook her head. With a sudden wave of worry, he stepped towards her. "Linka..."

Her head shot up, eyes blazing. "Nyet, Wheeler. It was a silly mistake, and I do not think that we need to talk about it or hang out. It was like those stupid 'just kisses.' It just happened. That is it."

He felt his brow shoot down. "Bu-"

"Ah! There is not and will not be any 'buts.' This does not need to be discussed again. You and I were just together in the right place at the right time. No nothing about it. It could have been anyone. So we can just pretend like it never happened. Nothing. Ever. Happened."

"That's fine! We don't have to tell the others. And if you need some time to think, I know—"

"I do not need time to think. I don't think that we should ever bring it up again. None of it. No kisses. No nothing."

"We can't just—"

"Da," she said, shaking. "We can. It was a mistake. It could have been anyone to me." Her hand shot out, and she grabbed his, shaking it like he was a new acquaintance. "Goodnight, Wheeler. I will see you tomorrow for work."

Mouth agape and head spinning, he watched as she turned on a heel and strode out the door. If anyone else had one-night-standed him, he would've blown it off, but this was Linka, his friend, and she was mad…

The Benadryl he'd taken was finally kicking in. It was 4 am. He'd be so tired tomorrow. He felt it fighting off the sleepless worry, pulling him down to the abyss of drugged-out sleep.

He was too far fallen to yell at himself for hearing her voice in his ear as he held on to consciousness. The echo of her breathing his name.

CP—CP—CP—CP—CP—CP—

He awoke in the Geo-Cruiser, passed to a note on the seat in front of him. He stretched drowsily, trying to put everything in place. He remembered that he'd managed to drag himself out of bed long enough to get into the vehicle before passing right back out.

_Wheeler,_

_Thanks a lot for not waking up. We're heading in to check out the surroundings. Ma-Ti will be looking for your thoughts and let you know where to find us. _

_-Kwame  
_

Great. So not only was yesterday an absolute disaster, but he wasn't even doing what he needed to do. Fantastic.

He rubbed his hands through his hair and tried to shake the sleep off, trying to figure out why he had woken so abruptly. Something had to have shocked him awake, but he couldn't quite place it…

Suddenly, the door to the Geo-Cruiser opened.

"Wheeler!" His name echoed in double-time, with Ma-ti in his head and Gi in his ear.

"Yeah. Sorry guys, I just woke up."

"Hurry, we have to go," she said, rushing over to him.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Just give me a momen-"

"They have Linka," Gi blurted before turning around and rushing out the door.


	8. Chapter 8: Counting Up and Down

**The last of **_**this**_** story, my lovelies. Again, I'm not smiling evilly or laughing maniacally or anything of that nature. Nope. I'm not. Nope….. **

**mudget: Excellent use of 'succinct'. And the whole review made me laugh.**

**InternetWife: *cheese* I'm not dragging this out, see? I'm putting this right up right away for you.**

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**Linka**

She was trying to count in her head, alternating between random sums and full on listing out numbers. She recited birthdays and holidays, years of political merit and dates of historical battles. The counting was a double edged attempt to keep her sanity; with her head filled with loud numbers, she could hardly think about panicking. Or Wheeler.

MAL kept a bored eye on her, but it wasn't like she could get anywhere. Her ring sat on a chain around Blight's neck somewhere, and her mouth was duct-taped shut. The zip ties around her wrist were turning her fingers numb, and she had to wonder why villains with so much money would resort to temporary-fix solutions as confinement tools.

_2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64…._

Where was Wheeler?

_128, 256, 512…_

Last night's debacle raced through her mind, crowding the numbers. She could feel him, trembling lips against her neck, that sweet smile on his face.

_1024…2048…4096…._

_Bozhe moy_, what had she done? How could she have let that happen? What would Gaia say? Could she really lie it off?

_8192…16384…._

The look of hurt on his face shoved the numbers to the corners of her mind. The knife in her heart twisted, making her stomach drop and writhe. It didn't hurt. It was the truth. It didn't hurt. It was the truth.

_32768…._

"So, have you put any consideration into my plan?" Blight asked, strolling leisurely into the room.

Oh, right. The plan Linka had been ignoring with her numbers. And Wheeler. Some yet again crackpot scheme thought up between Blight and Plunder. They were trying to 'convince' her to ally herself with them. They were looking to broaden their criminal reign, and what a better place to start than the former Soviet Union, right? Oh, and Linka was just _so_ perfect. She'd be their little liaison.

She felt an eye roll threatening to make itself present. Like there would be anyway she could ever be convinced to do anything so stupid.

Blight ripped the duct-tape off in a single swipe. "No? Well, then. We'll see how you feel in five…four…three…two…one."

MAL laughed maniacally, crooning happy compliments to Blight.

Plunder walked in, grinning ear to ear, and threw a handful of something onto the ground.

Linka's heart stopped.

Four rings glinted in the dim light, their owners a few feet away, defiant under the guns pointed at them.

"Well?" MAL asked as Blight stroked his computer screen, but Linka's mouth wouldn't work.

"Plunder, baby, I think she needs some persuasion."

A butt of a gun caught Ma-Ti in the nose, Kwame in the chest, Gi in the stomach, and Wheeler in the kidneys. Linka heard herself cry out, and then watched in horror as the blows landed elsewhere.

Plunder walked over to her casually, calmly flicking his ponytail behind his shoulder. He kneeled down next to her, offering her a glass from the table nearby. "You see, all you have to do is drink this. Then it all goes away."

She turned her head away. She'd had a lifetime's worth of poisons with Bliss to want to swallow anything again.

"This isn't so hard," he continued. His fingers reached out to jerk her face towards him.

"I'll kill you," came Wheeler's voice, and she saw him launch himself towards them. In an instant he had stopped, eyes terrified, hands open. It took Linka a moment to realize that there was a gun pressed against her temple.

"Now, now, loverboy, you're going to want to remain calm," Plunder said icily, rising to his feet. "If anything, I'm going to kill you, Planet brat."

In slow motion, Linka watched him turn the gun to her Yankee, heard the click of the bullet sliding into place. She couldn't breathe. This couldn't. No.

"No! No, no, no, no, please no! I'll do it! I'll do whatever you want. Let me drink it! Please!"

They all looked at her with confusion, brows furrowed, and in between her sobs, she realized that she wasn't speaking in English, as planned.

"Turn up the soap-opera and get results. Now that's what I'm talking about!" Blight drummed her fingers happily together. "What did you say?"

"I said, I will do it. I will drink it. Let them go, and I will do whatever you want. Please." Linka was sobbing harder, terrified no longer for herself but for the rest of them. Gi was still double over, and Linka could hear her crying. Kwame was hunched and horrorstruck. Ma-Ti wept as well, his nose streaming blood as he stood. And Wheeler…

Wheeler was shaking his head furiously. "Linka, no, don't do this."

"Please, let me have the drink."

"Linka, no."

She felt the rim of the glass press against her lips. She wasn't sure how it got there. All she could see was Wheeler, looking like he was about to break. She tilted her head back, and let whoever it was pour the sour mixture down her throat.

"Damnit, Linka!" Wheeler was shaking.

A wave of dizziness swept through her, and she felt everything closing in, her vision tunneling around her so that there was just Wheeler. Her heart was slowing. She knew she had one more thing to say. One last confession. She fought through her slowing mind to bring out the words.

"Wheeler? I lied."

And then everything was black.

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**I think I'll be writing a new story soon. What do you guys think? BWAHAHAHAHA.**

**Fin**


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